BK2 vs. Fehrman Last Chance vs. Scrapyard Scrapper 6 (Photo Heavy)

[fmajor007]

Thanks willworship!!!! This is the very center of my question!!!

I am no expert, and others may chime in here, but here are my $.02:

When batoning, the edge only really makes contact with the wood during the initial splitting of the wood's surface. Once the edge is beyond the surface of the wood, the sides of the blade are sustaining contact against the inner surfaces of the wood. Once the blade is completely into the piece of wood that is being batoned, the wood is mostly making contact with the shoulder of the main bevel. On a saber grind, it is the main grind line; because it is typically wider because of the steeper angle leading up to that grind line, the wood is also making more contact on the main bevel as well, resulting in more friction (my "smoothing out" of the shoulder of the bevel could have increased that friction--I'm not sure). On a FFG blade, it is contacting the edge of the spine of the blade, and only that. The FFG blade acts more like a splitting wedge.

Here's my 'question':

I'm wondering/thinking if by "smoothing out" the grind-line on the Saber grind (to a new, more "rounded" grind-line angle), the new grind angle "added" more blade surface for the wood to be in contact with instead of the more sharply angled "factory" grind-line where the wood surface contacts only the exact edge of the grind line?

So, all this to say: I think the extra contact with your blades new grind angle created the extra friction between the blade and the wood thereby causing the knife to get stuck more than than the FFG blade - which means getting stuck would have nothing to do with the actual length of the blade, but more to do with the added friction caused by the "smoothed" Saber grind angle.

Is it possible this could have been the cause for the sticking?

I'm also wondering if the grind-line on a Saber grind acts just like the spine of a blade with a Full FLAT Grind.... i.e., once the blade is far enough into the wood, the wood will only be touching the very edge of the spine on a Full FLAT Grind or w/the Saber grind the wood only contacts the blade at grind-line angle.

Here's the reason why i'm thinking what i'm thinking:

As i look at *every* BK2 that get's regular baton sessions, i'm seeing the coating wearing off at the Saber grind line.
I'm beginning to wonder, in knives which will see more baton use, if a Saber grind is better than a FFG....?
Maybe this depends on the height of the Saber grind compared to the height of the blade with a FFG.....

IMO, the biggest problem with the BK2 was the lack of length. I think if I had more real estate on the end to hit with the baton, I can guarantee I would have had less trouble with it getting stuck. When I take my BK2 out, I am more selective of the wood I'm trying to split, choosing either thinner pieces or softer woods if they have to be bigger. I have split lots of cedar and other woods with my BK2 without any trouble.

Always a trade-off isn't it? Lotsa helpful blade-length become's a "chopper" and other considerations such as weight-forward blades, lengthening of the "sweet spot" for chopping, etc....

I do not think it would be as much of an issue with cross-cut batoning, because the wood is generally not as thick, and therefore one would be able to make contact on the spine of the blade all the way through.

I agree!! Alot of wood-grain is soooo variable and not just knots. I'm thinking of the wood i split growing up in Northern Michigan. It was locally referred to as "Slippery Elm" (don't know if that's right - probably not...) - anyway, the grain twisted together throughout it's length - regardless of knots. It was very difficult to split - even with sledge and wedge.

While cross-cut batonning is *definitely* something i consider in a field-knife, i don't see very many folks being interested in it. However, if i don't have a saw with me cross-cut batonning makes better sense than full-on, full-swing chopping with my knife (especially if i'm taking down a standing tree).

 

[willworship]

I agree!! Alot of wood-grain is soooo variable and not just knots. I'm thinking of the wood i split growing up in Northern Michigan. It was locally referred to as "Slippery Elm" (don't know if that's right - probably not...) - anyway, the grain twisted together throughout it's length - regardless of knots. It was very difficult to split - even with sledge and wedge.

While cross-cut batonning is *definitely* something i consider in a field-knife, i don't see very many folks being interested in it. However, if i don't have a saw with me cross-cut batonning makes better sense than full-on, full-swing chopping with my knife (especially if i'm taking down a standing tree).

I agree. I think cross-cut batoning is more efficient than chopping for a shorter field-knife. I don't think it is as efficient with a blade that was designed to be a chopper, like the BK9 or a machete.

Maybe this depends on the height of the Saber grind compared to the height of the blade with a FFG.....

I think this is the key. If the saber grind height is equal to that of the FFG blade, I think it would be a wash. I think in certain situations with certain types of hardwood, the steepness of a shorter saber grind could lend toward it getting stuck, because it creates more friction. In softer wood like cedar, this only serves as an advantage, because it is a bigger wedge, and the wood doesn't put up much resistance. So, it could depend on the wood you're dealing with in your region. Both when I was in Florida and now in Kansas, I've had tons of oak to deal with, and that junk is pretty solid. Honestly, I probably have more experience messing with oak than any other type of wood, and the BK9 and my full flat grind blades have done better with it in my experience. On softer wood, the BK2 blasts through it with ease because it is a bigger wedge. Again, this is my opinion from my experience, but I hope it's helpful.

 

[fmajor007]

Good stuff - thanks for the reply and the Test!